Lincolnshire’s Tree City and Growth Award History The Village of Lincolnshire has been recognized as a Tree City USA for twenty-one (21) consecutive years, dating back to 1988. In addition, the Village has received the Tree City Growth Award for fifteen (18) consecutive years. Both awards are provided by the National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters. Commitment to obtaining the Tree City USA and Growth Awards has provided Lincolnshire with a framework for sustained improvement with regard to the village’s tree care practices. The sharing of ideas and concepts that coincide with the participation in these award programs will help to ensure that Lincolnshire remains on the forefront of community forestry for years to come.

Tree City USA and Tree City Growth Awards

Tree City USA Award

Each year hundreds of cities and villages throughout America receive public recognition for their community forestry program by becoming a Tree City.

The Tree City USA Award program was created to recognize those communities that effectively manage their public tree resources, and strive to heighten the public’s awareness of the many benefits that trees provide.

In order to qualify to receive the Tree City Award, a community must meet four standards established by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters. These standards were developed to insure that each qualifying community, regardless of size, would have a viable tree management program.

The four standards are as follows:

1. Tree Board or Department
   To qualify as a Tree City, a designated group or individual must be legally responsible for the community’s trees. This may be a professional forester or arborist, an entire Forestry Division, or a volunteer tree board.
   
   Lincolnshire employs a certified arborist in the Environmental Services Division.

2. Community Tree Ordinance
   All Tree Cities must have an ordinance which designates a Forestry Division or tree board, and cites minimum standards for tree protection and maintenance.
   
   Lincolnshire has strict Tree Preservation and landscaping ordinances which help to preserve and enhance the village’s natural characteristics.

3. Comprehensive Forest Management Program
   Each Tree City applicant must show evidence that the community has established a Forestry Program which allocates a yearly budget of at least $2.00 per capita. This means that, each year, Tree Cities must spend at least $2.00 on their forestry programs, for every person in the community. The forestry budget is used to implement various portions of a tree management plan such as planting, pruning, and hazardous tree removal.
   
   Lincolnshire’s tree management program provides a template for maintenance of the village’s forest resource, and encourages the continued improvement of forestry practices and policies. The Village spends well over the $12,000 minimum required expenditure, based upon our population, on an annual basis.

4. Arbor Day Observance
   The last Friday in April is designated as National Arbor Day. Each Tree City must demonstrate their recognition of the benefits that trees provide by observing our nation’s Tree Holiday. Arbor Day observances can be simple or elaborate. The main requirements are that the event is made public and that a tree is planted.
   
   In past years Lincolnshire has observed Arbor Day by planting trees and organizing public “work days,” so that environmentally conscious residents can do their part to preserve and restore the village’s natural areas.

Tree City Growth Award

In an effort to recognize communities that have shown a commitment to continued environmental improvement, and to encourage higher levels of tree care throughout America, the National Arbor Day Foundation also offers a Tree City Growth Award. Not only does this award recognize achievement, but it is also an excellent way to communicate new ideas and help the leaders of all Tree Cities plan for improving tree care in their respective communities.

In order to be eligible to receive a Tree City Growth Award a community must meet the following requirements:

1. Must be a Tree City
   All Growth Award recipients must be a Tree City Award recipient for at least two consecutive years.

2. Show Increased Forestry Spending
   Growth Award eligibility also hinges on a community’s ability to demonstrate that they have spent as much, or more on their forestry program as they did in the previous year.

3. Show Growth and Improvement
   The final requirement for obtaining a Growth Award is providing evidence of growth and improvement within the community’s Forestry Program. There are many ways to improve a forestry program, some of which include creating new programs for public education and involvement, improving the tree ordinance, and allocation of additional funds for park development.